Collingwood AFLW Head Coach Steve Symonds has named his side to take on Melbourne in Friday night’s 2023 NAB AFLW Season Opener at Ikon Park.

Collingwood forward Eleri Morris will make her AFLW debut tomorrow night, while Tarni White, Grace Campbell, Nell Morris-Dalton and Selena Karlson will play their first games in black and white.

2021 AFLW Best and Fairest Brianna Davey will play her first game in 601 days after suffering an ACL injury in Season Six. The clash against Melbourne will mark her first game as the sole Captain of Collingwood following her recent appointment.

Collingwood foundation player Brittany Bonnici will also make her comeback from an ACL injury, playing her first game in 552 days after also suffering the injury in Season Six.

Cross coder Ash Brazill is also set to make her return off the back of her retirement from professional Netball. The 33-year-old is recently won Gold with the Australian Diamonds at the 2023 Netball World Cup.

Collingwood vice-captain Ruby Schleicher will miss Friday’s match with a foot injury. The Club will continue to monitor the 25-year-old and will provide an update early next week.

Morris plays her first match at AFLW level after being recruited from Collingwood’s VFLW side and before that the AFL Sydney competition. The mature age recruit was selected at Pick 13 in April’s AFLW Supplementary Draft. Her debut was announced at training during the week with a special rendition of Missy Higgins’ ‘Scar’.

White joins the Magpies from St Kilda where she played 32 games since being recruited in 2020.

Campbell returns to the field after 532 days following an ACL injury in the lead in to Season Seven. Her debut for Collingwood will mark the third club the 27-year-old has played for after Richmond and North Melbourne.

Morris-Dalton will slot in at full forward for the black and white after four seasons and 20 games for the Western Bulldogs. The 22-year-old had a career-best return in Season Six, booting seven goals from her nine games.

Karlson will return for her fourth career game after time with the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda before being drafted by Collingwood in 2023.

Tickets are on sale for Friday night's clash between Collingwood and Melbourne.

NAB AFLW Round One

Melbourne v Collingwood

Friday 1 September, 7:20pm (pre-game entertainment from Missy Higgins)

Ikon Park, Wurundjeri

Full team: